_Columba flavirostris_, WAGLER, Isis, 1831, 519.—LAWRENCE, Annals
N. Y. Lyc. V. May, 1851, 116.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 598, pl.
lxi.—IB. Mex. B. II, Birds 21, pl. xxiii.—COOPER, Orn. Cal. I,
1870, 508. _Chlorœnas flavirostris_, BONAP. Consp. Av. II, 1854,
52.—REICHENB. Handb. 61. _? Columba solitaria_, MCCALL, Pr. A. N. Sc.
Phila. III, July, 1847, 233 (Rio Grande, Texas. Description referring
probably to this species).
SP. CHAR. Second and third quills equal, and decidedly longer than the
first and fourth, also nearly equal. Tail truncate, slightly rounded.
Head and neck all round, breast, and a large patch on the middle and
lesser wing-coverts, light chocolate-red, the latter deeper and more
opaque red; the middle of the back, scapulars, and tertials olive; the
rest of body, wings, and tail very dark slaty-blue; the inferior and
concealed surfaces of the latter black. Bill and legs yellow in the
dried skin, said to be purple in life; eyes purple. Length, 14.00; wing,
8.00; tail, 5.70.
HAB. Lower Rio Grande, and Mexico, south to Costa Rica. Oaxaca (SCL.
1859, 391); (Cordova, 1856, 309); Honduras (TAYLOR, Ibis, II, 226; SALV.
Ibis, III, 355); City of Mexico (SCL. P. Z. S. 1864, 178); Southeastern
Texas, breeding (DRESSER, Ibis, 1866, 23); Costa Rica (LAWR. IX, 134).
There is no trace of any metallic scale-like feathers on the neck of
this species. The wing-feathers, including the greater coverts, are
whitish on their external border. There is sometimes a tinge of the red
on the inside of the wing.
The _C. inornata_ of Jamaica (see synopsis) is wonderfully similar,
except in the form and color of the bill; the plumage of the two does
not differ in the minutest particular. The West Indian bird is much the
larger, however, the bill black, and very differently shaped.
The _Columba solitaria_ of McCall appears to be closely related to this
species, but, judging from the description, seems to differ in having
the head and neck bluish rather than red. It may possibly be the female
of _C. flavirostris_, as this sex usually has a bluish tinge instead of
red; the smaller size, too, would favor this supposition.[105]
=Habits.= The Red-billed Dove claims a place in the North American
fauna only as a resident in the valley of the Lower Rio Grande River.
It appears also to be found on and near the gulf-coast of Mexico and
Central America.
It was taken at New Leon, Mexico, in March, 1853, by Lieutenant Couch,
and on the Rio Grande by Mr. A. Schott. It was first seen by the former
in the thick woody bottoms of the San Juan, New Leon. The birds were
quite common, but remained very secluded. They are said to be of very
rapid flight.
Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1860, p. 226) mentions finding these birds not
uncommon on Tigre Island, in Honduras, but did not meet with them in the
interior. He speaks of them as very handsome birds, but gives no account
of their habits.
Mr. Henry E. Dresser found the Red-billed Dove quite common near
Matamoras, and breeding there. During the autumn great quantities, as
well as of the _leucoptera_ and the _carolinensis_, are brought to the
market for sale. At Brownsville, also, these birds were not uncommon,
but were found for only a short distance towards the interior of Texas,
and none were seen higher up the Rio Grande than Roma. A Mexican, who
shot doves for the market, informed Mr. Dresser that he had found this
species breeding near the town of Matamoras, and that it builds a nest
somewhat similar to that of _Z. carolinensis_, but that its two eggs
are somewhat larger. Their stomachs were found filled with a kind of
blueberry.
Eggs in the Berlandier collection are oval in shape, equal and slightly
tapering at either end, and of a creamy-white color. They measure 1.18
inches in length by .90 of an inch in breadth.